COVID-19 treatment at all private hospitals could risk others

Sindh directives to private hospitals to allocate 10% facilities for corona patients would only increase infections

KARACHI: Former president of the Private Hospitals Association, Dr Asim Hussain has voiced concern over the Sindh government’s directives to all private hospitals to set aside 10% of their facilities for coronavirus-infected patients, fearing that it might result in an increase in infections.

The government’s decision could endanger the lives of other patients, he said and warned that implementation of this order would close the doors of private hospitals for ordinary citizens.

COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, is highly infectious. Hence infected patients are treated in separate isolated building inside hospitals in order to ensure ordinary patients do not catch the virus.

In China, two massive hospitals were built exclusively for coronavirus patients. In the United States and the United Kingdom too, separate makeshift hospitals have been established for COVID-19 patients.

Elderly people and those with pre-existing medical conditions, like diabetes, hypertensions, cancer, or cardiovascular diseases, are particularly vulnerable to the deadly contagion. And housing coronavirus patients in the proximity of such patients could become a recipe for disaster.

The Private Hospital Association has also expressed its concern after a meeting, chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, ordered the heads of private hospitals to allocate 10% of their facilities – including beds and intensive care units (ICU) – for coronavirus patients.

Dr Asim, who is also the chancellor of Ziauddin University, told The Express Tribune that a three-hour meeting was held with Chief Minister Shah regarding the coronavirus pandemic.

He commended the measures taken by the Sindh government to stem the virus spread, particularly its decision to put the province in a lockdown, which, according to him, effectively curbed the proliferation of the mysterious pathogen.

In other countries, Dr Asim said, coronavirus cases were multiplying fast, but in Pakistan, the number of cases was quite low. He added that the heads of other private hospitals believe, and he agrees with them that “not all hospitals should be allocated for coronavirus patients”.

“Patients visiting the hospitals for other ailments will have fear of getting infected with the coronavirus,” Dr Asim said. He added that the bed capacity was not a problem in Sindh, but lack of ventilators could be an issue.

“We are ready to provide the government with as many ventilators as needed, along with staff,” Dr Asim said. “The hospitals that are already allocated for COVID-19 patients should be filled first before taking such a decision,” he added.

Currently, the real problem is shortage of diagnostic kits, medicines and PPEs [personal protective equipment], he said. “If the government allocates more hospitals for COVID-19 patients, then the staff should first be provided with safety equipment,” he added.

“If this decision is implemented, then where will the general public go? Since 70% of patients are treated in private hospitals, such measures will only increase the number of coronavirus infections in the country.”